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How to Boost Your Willpower

(From left: Robert Stolarik for The New York Times New York; Alan Zale for The New York Times; Owen Franken for The New York Times )

Every day, we are tested. Whether it’s a cookie tempting us from our diets or a warm bed coaxing us to sleep late, we are forced to decide between what we want to do and what we ought to do.

The ability to resist our impulses is commonly described as self-control or willpower. The elusive forces behind a person’s willpower have been the subject of increasing scrutiny by the scientific community trying to understand why some people overeat or abuse drugs and alcohol. What researchers are finding is that willpower is essentially a mental muscle, and certain physical and mental forces can weaken or strengthen our self-control.

Studies now show that self-control is a limited resource that may be strengthened by the foods we eat. Laughter and conjuring up powerful memories may also help boost a person’s self-control. And, some research suggests, we can improve self-control through practice, testing ourselves on small tasks in order to strengthen our willpower for bigger challenges.

“Learning self-control produces a wide range of positive outcomes,’’ said Roy Baumeister, a psychology professor at Florida State University who wrote about the issue in this month’s Current Directions in Psychological Science. “Kids do better in school, people do better at work. Look at just about any major category of problem that people are suffering from and odds are pretty good that self-control is implicated in some way.’’

Last month, Dr. Baumeister reported on laboratory studies that showed a relationship between self-control and blood glucose levels. In one study, participants watched a video, but some were asked to suppress smiles and other facial reactions. After the film, blood glucose levels had dropped among those who had exerted self-control to stifle their reactions, but stayed the same among the film watchers who were free to react, according to the report in Personality and Social Psychology Review.

The video watchers were later given a concentration test in which they were asked to identify the color in which words were displayed. The word “red,” for instance, might appear in blue ink. The video watchers who had stifled their responses did the worst on the test, suggesting that their self-control had already been depleted by the film challenge.

But the researchers also found that restoring glucose levels appears to replenish self-control. Study subjects who drank sugar-sweetened lemonade, which raises glucose levels quickly, performed better on self-control tests than those who drank artificially-sweetened beverages, which have no effect on glucose.

The findings make sense because it’s long been known that glucose fuels many brain functions. Having a bite to eat appears to help boost a person’s willpower, and may explain why smokers trying to quit or students trying to focus on studying often turn to food to sustain themselves.

Consuming sugary drinks or snacks isn’t practical advice for a dieter struggling with willpower. However, the research does help explain why dieters who eat several small meals a day appear to do better at sticking to a diet than dieters who skip meals. “You need the energy from food to have the willpower to exert self-control in order to succeed on your diet,” said Dr. Baumeister.

Kathleen Vohs, professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota, says that in lab studies, self-control is boosted when people conjure up powerful memories of the things they value in life. Laughter and positive thoughts also help people perform better on self-control tasks. Dr. Vohs notes that self-control problems occur because people are caught up “in the moment’’ and are distracted from their long-term goals.

“You want to look good in a bikini next summer but you’re looking at a piece of chocolate cake now,’’ said Dr. Vohs. “When we get people to think about values we move them to the long-term state, and that cools off the tempting stimuli.’’

Finally, some research suggests that people struggling with self-control should start small. A few studies show that people who were instructed for two weeks to make small changes like improving their posture or brushing their teeth with their opposite hand improved their scores on laboratory tests of self-control. The data aren’t conclusive, but they do suggest that the quest for self-improvement should start small. A vow to stop swearing, to make the bed every day or to give up just one food may be a way to strengthen your self-control, giving you more willpower reserves for bigger challenges later.

“Learning to bring your behavior under control even with arbitrary rules does build character in that it makes you better able to achieve the things you want to achieve later on,” said Dr. Baumeister. “Self-control is a limited resource. People make all these different New Year’s resolutions, but they are all pulling off from the same pool of your willpower. It’s better to make one resolution and stick to it than make five.”

Five years ago I threw the last cigarette in the garbage.I made a decision not to smoke anymore.My willpower was fuelled by the fear of falling sick after I saw an Advertisement on TV.knowledge is power,cigarette is fatal.If you want to live healthy you have to quit smoking.If you want to live healthy you have to eat healthy food combined with exercise.if you know what you are doing then you will have the power to do or change whatever you want.

Think this study is a gross oversimplification, if not totally misleading, on the issue of self control.

I’m at the tail end of the last generation for whom self restraint had any cultural value whatsoever. In real life self control is mostly the result of good parenting in stable families, a society which really cares about the children, and genetic luck.

Comparing ordinary self control problems to addictive behaviors like alcoholism, drug abuse and habitual gambling is like comparing apples and oranges. I anticipate we’ll learn from brain imaging studies and genetic advances the addictions are neurogenetic disorders behaviorly triggered by tasting the “forbidden fruit”.

In my own life simply couldn’t imagine, for example, becoming a habitual gambler. Gambling just bores me. I feel as if I’m neurologically wired up not to get any pleasure from it. At the same time I’m a very successful investor in part because I instinctively feel the limits of situations and won’t cross them. Readers who follow my frequent comments in Deal Book and Norris’ blog will understand exactly what I mean.

This is best summed up by a comment I made to roulette dealer in Las Vegas 3-4 years ago. In town for the Consumer Electronics Show one is forced to walk through the hotel casino going in or out. Not knowing how the betting worked, asked the dealer who kindly explained it. When he finished, popped out of me seemed a much better bet to buy Bank of America, put the certificates in the safe deposit and enjoy spending the quarterly dividends.

Was the above study funded by the food processors to establish a political defense for policy changes to fight the obesity epidemic?

Willpower is vastly overrated as a measure of character. Some of the most self-disciplined people in the world are also cold-blooded and scary, and many who are lacking in self-control are exceedingly kind and generous.

Very interesting piece. It makes sense that when you have a sense of well being that you’re less likely to “self medicate” whether it be with food, drink, smoking, or whatever. So it seems that willpower is as responsive to well being as well being is to willpower. Well being is maintained by being busy, feeling needed, and by helping others. The reward then is the act itself, but also keeping yourself well rested, exercise, and eating right. Common sense wins again.

I teach study skills to university students. In one exercise I ask the students to put everything aside at their tables, and then hold two pieces of paper. I say, “OK, now, throw the paper.” Very little happens. A few giggles, a few questions, eventually a few limp tosses.

Then I ask them to again hold two pieces of paper, and I position two or three boxes around the room. I say, “Try to get the papers into one of the boxes, but without getting out of your chairs. OK, throw the paper.” This time there is immediate activity, often with creativity (e.g. paper airplanes; or someone walking to a box, holding their chair on their bum, to drop a paper in). The energy level is clearly higher. There are hoots of “yes!” when someone sinks a ball of paper in a box.

The point is that their willpower is somehow tied to the activity having a clear, achievable and measurable target, or goal.

I continue the debriefing by pointing out that the self assignment “now I’ll study” is as simple as “throw paper,” but the lethargy, inactivity and self-consciousness may be the same as the first throw-paper exercise if the studying does not have some clear, definable, measurable goal for every few minutes. I finish by suggesting that working on improving their “task definition” is superior to traditional “time management” strategies, if their problem is trying to actually use time well, rather than to find more time to devote to studies.

Mark Hoffmann
University College of the Fraser Valley
Abbotsford, British Columbia

Willpower is a word that scares people because they think they don’t have any. Why? Because they have made commitments to themselves, and then think they have “failed”. I have a problem with both words: willpower and failure. Both are used widely by medical professionals and by people who watch someone gain their weight back or start smoking again. Rubbish – it takes time and experience to find your way. It takes self-compassion.

I have discovered that people in wellness (my field) like to have specific ideas that work for them – not generalizations. Some ideas:

You can call this skillpower (instead of willpower) or working smart — but be specific about something you want to change and then find simple strategies that appeal to you. For example, if you eat ice cream every night and want to stop – don’t buy ice cream. You won’t have to struggle with whether to eat it or not if it’s not in the house. However, totally giving up snacking at night, if this is your eating style, will not work in the long run. Try lower calorie snacks until you have several in your house that you can use — like cereal with fruit or fruit cup with nonfat yogurt. Sound awful? Keep looking, reading, and asking others for ideas.

Don’t give up. “Failure” is about not finding the right solution for YOU. It does not mean you won’t succeed. Sometimes you need a support group, or a friend to talk with, or a fresh idea.

We are too quick to look at our deficits and not our assets – talk to yourself about your strengths and your successes. If you cant’ do this in front of the mirror or in a journal, find a counselor or someone who will help you. Create a new path using these assets and make note of what you accomplish even if it is a tiny step.

Mark Twain once said, “It’s easy to quick smoking. I’ve done it 1000 times”. Obviously Mark learned about himself on this journey. In my own life I have to see my experiences as learning devices. I hope you don’t think I’m sounding overly dramatic – but I know I do better (and my clients also) when we stop focusing on what we didn’t do, see experience as an opportunity to learn something, and make a commitment to try again.
Ellie Taylor, RN //www.feedingthekids.com

Agree 150% with posters #1 and especially #2 – you just said it all, people these days don’t take responsibility for their actions towards themselves much less to others. It’s all about the instant gratification with no regards to the consequences of their actions. Personal integrity and willpower are sadly fading away in our society and in a few years, we will see first-hand the results of these attitudes… but we’ll find someone to blame, right?

Richard and Jack – How can you say that those in the past were more self-controlled than we are without acknowledging external influences? Did we evolve into lazy bums? If people of the past had self-control and people of the present do not, then either society has changed and allows people to be self-indulgent or the conditions of the world in the past did not allow people to be self-indulgent. Either way, it’s external factors at work.

sometimes will power runs awry and self control spirals into losing control.
people who feel out of control often demonstrate incredible control over one aspect of life – OCD behaviors such as an eating disorder.
Yes, I had AMAZING willpower in ability to deny myself food and say no to various treats or eat just one tiny bite … but that is not self control. That was a mental disorder controlling me, which resulted in destructive behavior (both emotional and physical).

I never realized how much self-control I had till I stopped smoking – that was over twenty years ago. The best way to develop and strengthen your will power is to stop smoking.
That will power has been a plus for me since then and it keeps on getting stronger as time goes by -I hope that continues till the day I die.
Ruth Beazer

Rich NJ has brought up a great point: why did those in the past have more willpower?
No, we did not evolve badly. Rather, external factors, as he mentions, are at fault.
The evolution of these factors has made us so comfortable that we have devolved, according to our nature, to a more pleasureable and less disciplined state.
Only by acknowledging this and taking corrective action can we overcome our increasing weaknesses.

TPP responds: Interesting point. Did people in the past really have more willpower? Or do we just have more temptations today?

Tip: Lifesize cardboard cutouts of your scowling, disapproving parents or Johan Hegg placed strategically throughout your home may be more effective than a standard motivational poster. If you are trying to quit caffeine this method is particularly effective because it allows you to maintain your jitters. After developing a modicum of willpower you should write a list of what you wish to accomplish each day upon waking. It is best to only wish to accomplish things that are concrete and, more importantly, realistic. At midnight if you have failed to achieve any of your goals, stick your finger into an empty powered light socket. Say goodnight to your scowling, disapproving parents or Johan Hegg, bow your head and apologize, then give them or him a kiss on the cheek if you can reach, and promise to do better tomorrow. Go to bed. Actually, do the dishes first, and then go to bed. Never go to bed without doing the dishes.

While I certainly acknowledge the importance of self-control in maintaining health and meeting long term goals this article, and the Current Directions in Psyc. Sci article that it references, utterly ignore the underlying neurological and biochemical processes involved in decision-making. This undermines decades of research on addiction and mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety, and does a tremendous disservice to our society by implying that these diseases are a result of a “moral defect” and propagating the myth that they can be overcome by individuals who are willing to “flex” their self-control. The bottom line is that while we all have many opportunities to make positive choices in our lives, pathological process such as addiction and mental illness involve neurochemical changes in the brain which cannot be wished away with any amount of self-control.

I agree with the article about strong images. I used to smoke (very little, about 1 cigarette a day). One day I was having a serious talk with my 11-year old son about his fear of loss and he told me that he was afraid of losing me. He became tearful. After that, whenever I wanted to go buy another pack of cigarettes, I remember the image of my son wiping his eyes and that has been enough to stop me wanting a smoke. The bonus is my blood pressure has dropped by 10 points and that too has helped me to keep off smoking. So I guess a reward system is very important too.

I have a brother who has a strong will. One day he decided to quit coffee and that was it. Another time he decided to become a vegetarian and that was that! He does one hour of qigong every morning regardless of where in the globe he is and what time zone he’s in. Although I sometimes think he’s a cold fish, I’d gladly trade some of my emotionality and spontaneity for a bit of his will power. Certainly it will help in achieving the many things I dream of achieving!

A co-worker put it very succinctly: Knowing how to lose weight is simple–fewer calories in, more calories out–but the discipline to do it is hard.

I am grateful to him. In the past three months I’ve lost 19 pounds, a slow but steady approach. I’m not following any formal diet plan or fad, just his good advice. He was right–it’s not easy and temptation lurks everywhere. Ah, but after those first ten pounds disappeared, I was determined to keep going. Success breeds success.

I just have to call BS on this whole idea that “people these days” have no willpower. Practically every historical text we have gives examples of people caving to their own desires right along side stories of people sacrificing instant gratification for long-term reward. In the Old Testament, King David caved to his desire to sleep with Bathsheba, even though she was married to one of his soldiers. Helen of Troy ran off with Paris and “launched a thousand ships”. It’s nothing new, just the way of humanity.

It’s true that privileged people in America have to work very little (comparitively) to survive, but we still have to balance instant gratification with long-term goals. That’s why we have retirement funds and that’s why we try to succeed in our careers and our relationships. Enough with the world going to hell in a handbasket (except for global warming). Every generation thinks the world is going to end because the next one is a bunch of ne’er-do-wells, just ask your grandparents.

Stopping smoking or losing weight both require self control and it is strenghtened by placeing a variety of structures in place to encourage successful striving: role models, daily goals, record keeping, catalysts for change, over-rides to handle inner conflicts that inevitably arise such as a clear understanding of why you want to change, contracts with others to support goal attainment and, finally, a serious commitment to change.